Oil And Gas Stakeholders Express Concerns Over Rising Costs Of Doing Business In C'River

Oil And Gas Stakeholders Express Concerns Over Rising Costs Of Doing Business In C'River 

Stakeholders in the oil and gas sector have expressed concerns over the rising cost of doing business in Cross River State due to multiple taxations and other artificial barriers. The stakeholders who met on Monday to brainstorm on ways to resolving the issues of express payments, product diversions, truck arrangements at the park and other bottlenecks to  business growth in the Calabar unit,  figured that many petroleum marketers might leave the unit for neighbouring states if decisive steps are not taken to reduce the cost.

In an address, the depot Manager, Mr. Gbenga Iroko welcomed participants to the august meeting convened by NNPCL, while remarking that for the sector to achieve growth and enhanced value addition, there was need for such regular engagements by stakeholders. Iroko maintained that with outrageous levies collected by unions, it was practically impossible for businesses in the state to make profits or compete favourably with their counterparts in other climes. The manager appealed to the leadership of PTD, IMB, IPMAN and other bodies to reconsider their levies in the overall interest of the sector, while adding that, with the removal of fuel subsidy, NNPCL has become a purely commercial entity and such high levies threatened the commercial interests of the enterprise. 

" I urge the unions to review their levies in the overall interest of the sector. Doing Business in the state should be made attractive, else we will loose a lot of customers and the revenue we generate from them" 

Speaking, the Chairman, Cross River State Joint Task Force on petroleum, Hon. Peter Okim lamented the level of impunity in the sector, while appealing to unions to consider the ripple effect of such multiple levies on their friends and family who would have to buy products at exorbitant rates and the hardship it would bring upon them. Okim complained that out of all the levies collected, none is being remitted to the state government's account. He revealed that the government of Cross River State has earmarked a piece of land for park in addition to the existing one at Lemna, and would deal decisively with any truck driver that parks on the highway. 

Meanwhile, heads of the various unions in the petroleum sector have commended the leadership of Sen. Prince Bassey Otu for his people oriented policies and programs, particularly,  for fulfilling his pledge to relocate all trucks to a central park thereby decongesting the depot and highway. Comrade Abdulraman, chairman of Petroleum Tankers Drivers(PTD) in the state, who spoke on behalf of others, affirmed the unions' resolve to carry out a downward review of their levies from 70000 to 49500,  address the issues of disobedience to safety rules, ensure orderly arrangements of trucks at the park as well as assist the security agencies and task force to enforce the policy of no parking on the highway. The  stakeholders urged marketers asked to pay levies outside the agreed ones to report to the state chairman,  Joint Task Force on petroleum monitoring for action. 

Eriacy Confidence Oba,

 CRS Joint Task Force On Petrol Media